From the final crop of a star California-based sire who was represented by a Grade I winner this summer at Del Mar, and a successful female family that trainer John Sadler knows well, Hip 211 was a must-have at the Fasig-Tipton California Yearling Sale, so we made sure to secure the beautiful bay colt who ended up as the auction topper.

This colt’s sire, Vronsky, was a $1-million yearling purchase by the immortal Danzig and established himself in the stallion shed as a leading sire of California-breds over the last 15+ years. His success hasn’t been limited to the state-bred program, as he sired Grade I winner of nearly $1 million What a View, and this July, his The Chosen Vron punched his ticket to the Breeders’ Cup with a remarkable 12th stakes victory in the Grade I Bing Crosby Stakes. Vronsky passed away in 2021, so this colt is one of his final yearlings to hit the market.

On the dam side, Hip 211 is out of Seasontoperfection, who’s produced a perfect seven winners from seven foals, including Kings River Knight, who Sadler has campaigned to multiple stakes wins and over $300,000 in earnings. Two more of her foals have earned six figures, while second dam Grilltoperfection is responsible for a pair of 11-time winners on the track. Under the third dam is five-time stakes winner Mimi’s Cafe and multiple stakes-winning Dee Dee’s Diner, who racked up 11 total victories in her career.

Hip 211 is a leggy, correct colt with good balance and a great walk. Sadler, his top assistant Juan Leyva, and West Point’s Jeff Lifson all identified him as the head-and-shoulders best prospect of the sale.

Syndication price includes all veterinary, training, acquisition, and legal costs until January 1, 2025.